Bobby Wayne Burns

Saturday

Nov 23, 2013 at 2:00 AM

Bobby Wayne Burns was born October 22, 1952 in Clarendon, Ark., to Billie Jean Shores and Wayland Lee Burns. Shortly after his birth he moved to Rockford, Ill., where he met his loving wife of 36 years, Susie Sparacino.

They were married September 10th, 1977, in Rockford, where they rode motorcycles, played cribbage, attended Saint Anthony of Padua Parish, made mischief with good friends and family, and raised two beautiful girls, Tiffany Erica and Julianne Elise. Bobby attended Auburn High School in Rockford, Liberty Christian College in Owatonna, Minn., Rock Valley Community College in Rockford, and Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wis. In 1989, Bobby and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nev., where he spent the next twenty-three years.

Bob worked as a hospital maintenance technician, where he satisfied his lifelong hobby of taking things apart, seeing how they work, and putting them back together again. He eventually worked in real estate, and then as a manager in the funeral industry. On the day he retired in 2006 he swore he would only wear a tie on two more occasions in his life: his daughters' weddings. He held true to his vow and also declined to cut his hair for the rest of his life.

He loved music, books, sports, and movies. He loved his family more. When his first grandson became ill as an infant, Papa donned his cape and flew to Mexico to care for him for nearly six months despite not speaking a word of Spanish. When his daughters moved to Oregon, he packed up and headed north to spend time with his girls and their families. He especially loved his grandchildren, Harper John Dickinson, Aven Rosalie Dickinson, and Christopher Wayne Keller.

Bobby battled pulmonary fibrosis for over three years, not complaining once, before he passed away in Susie's arms at home on Saturday, November 16th, 2013. He is survived by his parents; his brother Terry Burns of Rockford; the love of his life, Susan Burns; his daughters, Tiffany Erica Burns and Julianne Elise Keller; their husbands, who were proud to call themselves his son-in-laws, Alec Dickinson and Christopher Keller; his grandchildren; and numerous family and friends who will miss him forever. We love you, Son, Husband, Dad, Pop, Papa... rest in peace.

Visitation will be held this Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Perl Funeral Home in Medford. A Catholic Mass will be held Saturday, Nov. 23, at 1 p.m., at Sacred Heart, Medford. Father Arturo Romero will officiate.